Adelaide To Target 2015 Queen Elizabeth Stakes

November 12th, 2014

Charging home to secure an exceptional race win in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) in what was also his Australian racing debut on October 25th, classy three-year-old Adelaide has been confirmed to remain in Australian under the care of Chris Waller and set for an appearance in the major Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) during the 2015 edition of The Championships.

Pushed wide rounding the bend onto the final straight at Moonee Valley, Adelaide appeared to have too a great a task on his hand in returning to the winner’s circle in the Cox Plate but quickly spooled up and charged home down the outside; comfortably finding the line in the clear of Fawkner.

Understandably thrilled with the class displayed by the Galileo colt this year, Coolmore Australia Racing Manager James Bester underlined the Group 3 Sky High Stakes (1900m) as likely to be the first point of call.

“We talked about many things including the transition to training and his program,” Bester told TVN.

“At this stage the Queen Elizabeth remains the ultimate goal and now with the new initiative with the Sky High Stakes becoming a set weight and penalties race over 2000 metres it suddenly makes it an appealing option.

“For a European horse like Adelaide that is a perfect lead in. The Sky High is now the same conditions as the Turnbull.

“Traditionally, Australians like to go two weeks, two weeks, but as Adelaide showed in the Cox Plate he can hit a peak performance off a longer break.”

Yet to finish outside the places in his eight career starts to date, Adelaide quickly impressed under the care of leading Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien in winning a two-year-old event over 1600m on debut before finishing second in the Group 2 Prix Hocquart (2200m) and returning to the winner’s circle in the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes (2000m).

Finishing second in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes (2400m) at Royal Ascot on June 20th, Adelaide travelled to the United States for second in the Group 1 BelmontDerby (2000m) and a maiden victory at the highest level of racing when finding the line in the clear in the Group 1 Secretariat Stakes (2000m) at Chicago’s Arlington course.

Running third in the Group 2 Prix Niel (2400m) in France in his only other start prior to the Cox Plate, Adelaide is currently taking well to his time in the spelling paddock.